Mike Napoli never doubted he’d be a Red Sox

Credit: Associated Press

Mike Napoli

FORT MYERS — It was a scene that once seemed like it would never happen: Mike Napoli, dressed in a Red Sox-issued red shirt and navy shorts, working out in the shadow of JetBlue Park.

Yet here was Napoli, after an offseason of second and third opinions from doctors about a degenerative condition in his hips, reporting early to Sox camp and playing catch with an old friend, pitcher John Lackey.

“It never (entered) my mind that I wasn’t going to be here,” Napoli said. “We never really squashed anything. They always wanted me. We never lost contact. We just had to figure out what the problem was and what was going on in my hips.”

After agreeing to terms of a three-year, $39 million contract, Napoli was diagnosed in December with avascular necrosis, a disease caused by a lack of blood flow that can result in bone death. The Red Sox insisted on revising the deal, and 51 days later, they signed the 31-year-old slugger for only one year and $5 million guaranteed.

Napoli has been taking prescribed medication and claims he’s asymptomatic. After visiting Napoli recently in Dallas, manager John Farrell said he expects there will be “no restrictions” in spring training, although Napoli will soon undergo another MRI exam, likely to determine if his condition has worsened.

“It’s something I don’t feel,” Napoli said. “Just take it day by day and see what happens. I was doing everything before I found out I had it. We took a little step back, staying off impact for a while. I’ve been hitting, throwing, doing everything.”

Presumably, Napoli’s preparation has included the mental calisthenics required to join the Red Sox after a nearly two-month contract stalemate. And make no mistake: the Sox are counting on him to complement David Ortiz as a righty-hitting force in the middle of the order.

Napoli’s most immediate challenge, though, will be adapting to first base, a position he has played sporadically (133 games) throughout a career spent mostly as a catcher. Farrell and general manager Ben Cherington have said Napoli will be used exclusively at first, so he will work closely in spring training with infield coach Brian Butterfield.

Moving to first base may even slow the deterioration of Napoli’s hips, which he realizes will be closely watched. When he recently asked fans, via Twitter, to suggest his walk-up music at Fenway Park, he made sure to include this addendum: “And don’t say hips don’t lie,” a reference to the Shakira song.

“Hopefully this hip thing goes away and I’ll be able to go back behind the plate,” said Napoli, a first baseman’s mitt tucked under his arm. “But for now, we’re going to worry about playing first base and go from there.

“I’ve been out there before. I’m comfortable. It’s not like I’m out there on an island or anything. I’ll go out there and work at it and try to make myself better every day.”